12 Roses
by pikagurl23
Summary: 12 Roses...with each rose coming individually the 11 days before Valentine's. Each rose has its own note attached, making Misty wonder about the sender and how he seems to know so much about her. What will she discover on V-Day and how will it change her?


Disclaimer: Don't Own Pokemon!

A/N: What's that saying, a day late and a dollar short? Even so, I hope this fic doesn't lack anything and, though it is a day late, I hope you all enjoy it just the same. Happy late Valentine's Day!

Ash/Misty: 21

**12 Roses**

February 3rd…

Approximately eleven and a half days, two-hundred and seventy-six hours, sixteen-thousand, five-hundred and sixty minutes, and nine-hundred, ninety-three thousand, six-hundred seconds until the dreaded day where pink and red hearts fluttered aimlessly about, candied hearts with secret messages were given, and relationships would either be completely renewed or absolutely destroyed.

Valentine's Day…

The day that was supposed to symbolize love, joy, and, for girls anyway, flowers, expensive jewelry, and extravagant dinners where the men were forced into perfectly pressed suits and compelled to exhibit the most gentlemen like behavior. It was a day where hearts were aglow and love was so heavily thick in the air, you'd think people had gone out of their minds.

Valentine's Day was every girl's, young and old, fantasy day where the man of their dreams would sweep them off of their feet.

Well, every girl except for 21 year-old Misty Waterflower.

It's not that Misty _hated_ Valentine's Day or despised its meaning; it simply confused her as to why only one day out of the year people expressed their love so freely and without fear of rejection. I mean, why couldn't people express their longing and love for one another everyday of the year? Why was there a specific, Hallmark, commercialized holiday that had to _tell_ people when to love? Couldn't these people figure it out for themselves?

Of course, Misty's thoughts might have had something to do with the fact that she was never all for pricey jewels, expensive dinners on the town, or huge bouquets of flowers sent via musical telegram. Her idea of special and romantic was simple, yet sincere. She lived by the rule that love shouldn't have to be bought; that it should be enjoyed, cherished, and held close to the heart. Love was not materialistic and Misty understood that more than anyone.

Especially more than her three older sisters, she thought with a shudder as she heard all three simultaneous squeals resound within their home that day.

Misty had been lying on her bed, arms folded behind her head, and staring blankly out of her window until the incessant squeals of her sisters had suddenly broken her out of her thought process. She rolled her eyes and sighed, turning to her side and gently fingering her soft pillow beneath her. She let her ginger locks of hair fall over her cerulean blue eyes, shadowing her briefly from the outside world and wanting nothing more than a little peace and quiet.

Misty had been living at the Cerulean City gym for about 5 years now and everyday she was there reminded her of everyday she had to spend away from her friends. Though her sisters had returned from their trip around the world several months after Misty's less than enthusiastic return, she soon found herself taking it upon herself to lead their family's gym and take on the responsibilities of gym leader. She was proud, happy, and a little relieved that she had become a successful leader and now felt that the gym was her only obligation.

However, her duties did not mask the fact that she missed her friends tremendously.

Misty flipped over onto her stomach and hugged her pillow tightly to her chest.

_Ash…Brock…_

Misty often wondered how they were doing and if they even thought about her.

Did she cross their minds every time they saw a water pokemon? Whenever they wandered through a bug filled forest, could they imagine her screaming her head off in fear and then yelling at Ash for his poor sense of direction?

That last thought caused a small smile to form at the corners of her lips and, with a sigh, she craned her neck to the side and glanced at the framed photo at her bedside. It showed her, Brock, and Ash standing side by side, arms around each other in a friendly hug. The photo had been taken about a year ago when Ash, Brock, and their newest traveling companion, a girl by the name of Dawn, had dropped by unexpectedly to pay her a visit.

Dawn was nice, ambitious, and all the things she wasn't. Though she and Dawn had become fast friends, Misty couldn't miss the interaction between the young coordinator and her best friend. It made her a little jealous, to say the least, that they shared such a close bond, a role that, at one point, she had filled.

Over the years, Ash's calls and letters had become few and further, which (Misty assumed), could only be due to his heavy training load and not being able to find a spare moment with which to call or write.

With that lingering thought in mind, she redirected her eyes to the wrinkled piece of paper hidden underneath the framed photo, its corners creasing and torn from repetitive opening and refolding. Opening the decrepit piece of paper, Misty read over the words of Ash's last letter to her.

'_Dear Misty,_

_I know it's been a while since I've called or even written to you, so I hope you can forgive me for my lack of being labeled a 'best friend.' I know today's a special day for you and that you're probably spending it with your family and friends, but I just wanted to drop you a quick line to wish you a very Happy 21st Birthday. I'm sorry I can't be there to spend time with you and, believe me, I wish I could. _

_I miss you so much, more than I probably let on considering how little I've been able to write or call you lately. But believe me when I say that I wished you could travel with us again, just like the old times, but I know that you have other obligations and duties back at home and I wish you all the luck in the world. _

_Well, I suppose I should cut it here. Brock, Pikachu, and Dawn all say 'hi' and wish you a happy birthday, as well. So, take care of yourself Mist and I hope to see you soon!_

_Love, Ash_

_P.S. Enclosed is a small gift from me; I hope you like it.'_

Misty sat up in her bed, her back resting against her wall as she clutched his letter tightly in one hand and his precious gift, a necklace with a charm that resembled her gym's badge, in the other. She must have read the letter a million times, at least, but each time ran new emotions that she struggled with everyday she was apart from him.

She had received it several months ago, exactly on her birthday (not a day later), and felt moved by Ash's kind words and could almost picture his handsome, confident features expressing the words he had so generously written down.

"Ash…" she murmured to herself, sighing while setting the letter back in its place under her frame and gently playing with the charm around her neck.

How could she feel so strongly for him when he was hundreds of miles away? How had she let herself fall for him and continue to fall when she barely even spoke to him? _Why_ had she fallen for his stupid grin, his hero complex…the way he always made those around him better people?

_Because he's Ash…_

And this, Misty reminded herself, was one of the main reasons she was not too fond of Valentine's Day. She didn't have him to spend it with, not that she was sure he _would_ if he had the chance.

Misty just had to face facts; she would not rid herself of her feelings for him anytime soon. She could only continue to cling to the small hope that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way.

"Like, Misty!"

Misty sighed aloud at the sound of her own name and glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was only noon; way too early for a gym battle, nor had she heard the phone ring. What could be so important that couldn't wait until later?

"Here you are!" exasperated Misty's eldest sister, Daisy, as she walked into Misty's room unannounced and without permission, Lily and Violet trailing.

"What?" she sighed, folding her arms in front of her, giving all three of them tired looks.

"Look what we found!" announced Lily excitedly, with a hint of playfulness and teasing lacing her voice.

Violet grinned and produced a single red rose from behind her back, a small note attached to its long, green, thorn studded stem.

Misty rolled her eyes. Leave it to her sisters to completely shove it in her face that she was going to be utterly alone on Valentine's Day.

"Okay, so one of your _many _boyfriends got you an early V-Day gift, either that or he doesn't know how to read a calendar. What do I c--"

"Like, the rose is for you, duh," Violet interrupted, shoving the rose into Misty's hands and causing one of the thorns to prick her finger.

"Ouch!" she yelped, dropping the rose. She waved her hand in the air painfully, then surveyed the damage. She noticed a small pool of blood forming on her index finger and gently sucked at it with her mouth while trying to convey her thoughts, "What do you mean it's for me?"

"The card says, like, your name," supplied Daisy, in an obvious sounding tone.

"Hmm…"

Misty lifted up the rose delicately, this time wary about the thorns, and examined it a bit. She had never received flowers before and had no idea who would be sending them now.

"Read the card!" Lily urged, kneeling down on the ground and resting her head on Misty's bed.

Nodding, Misty carefully opened the envelope and marveled at the strange, yet interesting note.

"I love the day we first met…" she read aloud, staring at the card blankly then looking up at her sisters with a questioningly look.

"Well? Like, who's it from?" inquired Violet, leaning in to get a closer look.

"It doesn't say…"

"What the hell…" murmured Lily, snatching the card from her youngest sister and scanning its contents confusedly, "She's right. What is this, like, some kind of stalker or something?"

"Maybe it's from Brock!" exclaimed Daisy, "I mean, you two _are_ best friends and everything."

Misty shook her head, "No, it can't be Brock. Why would he send me flowers?"

"Tracey?" asked Violet shrugging, "Did you meet him in any special, out of the ordinary way?"

Misty racked her brain and thought back to the moment she had first met the pokemon watcher, "No, I met him at the same time as…"

Misty trailed off, her mouth slightly hanging open and eyes widening in sudden realization. She quickly snatched the card back from Lily's hands and read the note again.

'_I love the day we first met…'_

Out of all of her friends, which one of them had made the greatest impact on her upon their meeting? Which one had she 'accidentally' fished out of a certain river as he ran for his life from a flock of angry and irritated Spearow? Which one had 'borrowed' her prized bike in an attempt to save his Pikachu and, as a result, completely ended up destroying the bike in his efforts?

No…that couldn't be right. Why would Ash send her a rose? He simply didn't have a reason to. It was not her birthday, nor was it Valentine's Day yet…

And yet, everything seemed to fit, didn't it?

"Mist? Yo, like, Earth to Misty!" exclaimed Daisy, waving a hand in her sister's face upon seeing the glazed over look in her eyes.

Misty snapped out of her stupor, realizing that all three of her sisters were now staring oddly at her, arms folded and looks of complete confusion written all over their faces.

Lily looked over Misty's face very carefully, she being the most perceptive of the group of girls. The youngest of the Cerulean sisters looked like she had just seen a ghost…either that or she realized who had given her that rose.

And then, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, Lily's face lit up into a broad smile and soon gasped to show her delight, "You-You don't think the rose is from Ash, do you?"

It was at this point that Misty's face turned a light shade of pink and she turned away towards the window to hide the blush that had suddenly found its way to her cheeks.

At the sudden realization, Violet and Daisy gasped in pure delight, clasping their hands together and marveling at how 'adorable' the whole thing was. They talked excitedly amongst themselves, seemingly forgetting that Misty was even in the room, until Daisy noticed that the youngest sister was gently twirling the rose in her fingers.

Misty had a glazed over look in her eyes as she stared out of the window, fingering the velvety smooth petals of the rose she had clutched in her hands. She sighed heavily and absent mindedly brought the rose to her face, taking in its airy and fresh fragrance that the rose naturally exuberated. She let a small smile creep to the corners of her pink lips and gently leaned her head against the windowsill, completely ignoring the odd glances she was receiving from her now quieted sisters.

_Ash…_

_Had_ he been the one to send her the rose or could it have just been one of her other friends, possibly Tracey or Brock, like her sisters had suggested? Whoever the sender, the idea of Ash sending her anything romantic definitely caused a slight swell of excitement to fill her senses.

"So, little Ash Ketchum is in love with our baby sister," stated Violet, finally catching Misty's attention and causing her to look at the trio, a shocked expression on her pale face.

"He's not," Misty defended, though she was unsure of her own words, "We don't even know if the rose is from him or not."

"He, like, sent you that totally beautiful necklace for your birthday this year," added Lily, a smile tugging at her lips, "A gift, might I add, that you refuse to part with."

Misty blushed slightly and clutched her treasured present in her free hand, shielding it away from her sisters prying gazes. Her necklace was something she wished her sisters had never found out about, especially since they oftentimes made it their sworn duty to remind her day after day that Ash _must_ be in love with her. And, though they meant well, it was a nice thought to think that Ash might feel the same way too.

"Is it so weird to think that he might just feel the same way about you that you feel about him?" prodded Daisy knowingly.

Misty let out an exasperated sigh, "I don't know, Daisy. I haven't seen him in a while so…how could he possibly have feelings for me when he hardly ever sees me?"

"How are _you_ in love with him when you hardly ever see him?" asked Violet, throwing Misty's question right back in her face.

"I…" and Misty trailed off, finding, for one of the first times in her life, she did not have an explanation to her sister's question.

Sensing and seeing the look of distraught on her Misty's face, Lily piped up and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I, like, wouldn't worry about it too much, Mist. You'll just stress yourself out in the end. Like, who cares who gave it to you? It just means that someone cares for you…that's what's most important."

"Lily's right," Violet nodded.

"Yeah, and if it is, like, little Ashy then all the better for you!" exclaimed Daisy happily.

Misty gave all three of her sisters a tired, but grateful smile. As much as she oftentimes hated to admit it, she depended on her sisters more than she cared to realize and it was at times like these where she truly appreciated the fact that they were all family.

"But it _is_ a little weird, don't you think?" commented Violet, placing a hand under her chin and staring oddly at the rose in Misty's hands.

Misty gave her a questioningly look and, before she could ask what she was talking about, Violet elaborated.

"I mean, like, who orders roses with the thorns _on_?" she asked, pointing at the spiky, green protrusions on the almost perfect rose.

Daisy, Lily, and Misty shrugged simultaneously.

Misty had never really thought about it before, but she supposed her sister was right. Though she hardly ever received roses, she knew enough that most of them had their thorns clipped at the florist. Why had this one been overlooked?

"It was probably just a mistake," shrugged Daisy nonchalantly.

But the next day, only proved how wrong Daisy had been.

At exactly twelve noon the next day, Daisy, Lily, and Violet shrieked as the doorbell rang throughout the gym, signifying the arrival of the delivery man and, what they hoped, would be another clue as to their younger sisters' admirer.

Sure enough, as Daisy swung the door opened, another rose, identical to the one that had been delivered the day before, had been dropped off on their doorstep. Thorns and all, the rose had a similar note attached to it with Misty's name clearly printed on the front.

"Mist!" exclaimed Lily excitedly, snatching the rose and heading towards the pool area where she was sure her sister would be. Daisy and Violet trailed her, smiles plastered on their perfectly pink lips.

Misty took a deep breath as she resurfaced their Olympic sized swimming pool and ran a hand through her wet locks. Breathing heavily from her morning workout, she floated leisurely on her back, letting the cool waters of the pool soothe her body and her cramped mind.

Ever since that rose and letter had come for her the day before, it was all she could think about. She must have read the tiny note a million times, trying to decipher its meaning and whether or not it actually _meant_ something to begin with. She would read it, then fold it back up, reminding herself that it was nothing special. Then, something in her mind would snap and she would find herself reading it all over again, searching for its hidden meaning and any possible clues as to who the sender could be.

Of course, there was only one person she _wanted _it to be.

"Hey Mist!"

Misty turned her head to the entrance of the pool area and caught the sight of all three of her sisters rushing up to her, the same excited smiles they had portrayed the day before when the first rose had come. When she caught the sight of a rose in Lily's petite hands, she let out a small gasp and quickly swam to the pool's edge.

"What is it?" Misty asked cautiously, eyeing the rose carefully.

"Check it out!" announced Lily, holding the rose up so that Misty could get a clear view of it.

A small smile rushing to Misty's lips, she hopped out of the pool and swiftly wrapped a towel around her frame. Throwing her long locks of wet hair into a messy bun, she slowly took the rose from Lily and examined it like she had done with the previous one.

Like yesterday's rose, this one also still had those annoying little thorns attached to its dark green stem, almost as if reminding her about the previous day's incident. The rose itself was a deep shade of crimson red and its petals were like velvet to the touch. Misty brought it slowly to her nose and inhaled deeply, reveling in its sweet scent.

"Read the note!" urged Violet, Lily, and Daisy simultaneously, as they crowded around to get a better look.

Misty nodded, almost too eagerly, and carefully unfolded the note to reveal a simple, yet generic message.

"I love your beautiful smile…" Misty read, trailing off, smiling to herself while showing the note to her sisters.

"Oh, that's so totally sweet!" cooed Lily, overenthusiastically.

"Yeah, who knew Ash had it in him to be such a sweetie!" exclaimed Violet, clasping her hands together and shooting Misty an excited glance.

Misty, however, rolled her eyes at her sister's lame attempts at convincing her of what Violet thought was so obvious. She sighed deeply, rose still clutched tightly within her grasp, and slumped onto one of the nearby bleachers, unnoticed by the three as they continued to fawn over the sincerity and 'cuteness' of the most recent message.

Misty leaned her head against her hand and stared at the rose confusedly, twirling it carefully between her slender fingers. The note had indicated, yet again, nothing about its' sender and, the more Misty wondered about who exactly would care enough to send her flowers and notes, the more confused she got. Though she knew something as simple as this shouldn't have bothered her, the unknowns and anticipation for Valentine's Day to arrive was killing her!

Deciding she was too tired to even think, let alone contemplate, the mysterious sender, Misty flopped down in a laying position against the cool metal of the bleachers and sighed.

She sniffed the rose again, letting the sweet aroma fill her senses and let out a half-hearted laugh, followed by a wistful smile.

'_I love your beautiful smile…'_

Soon, Misty reminded herself. Soon enough she would finally find out the identity of her secret admirer.

It was now the next day, February 5th, to be exact and approximately 11:55 am as Misty sauntered through the kitchen, rummaging through the refrigerator for a bite to eat. Moving a few unlabeled bottles and Tupperware filled with God knew what, she pulled a carton of milk from the confines of the fridge and sat herself at the table, a bowl of cereal sitting in front of her. Pouring the milk into her cereal, she sighed tiredly as she opened up the front page of the Cerulean Times Newspaper.

Her sisters had left for the day, promising to return before dark as they had 'things' that needed to be attended to. They were reluctant in their leaving, however, knowing that at exactly twelve noon, the inevitable would happen and yet another rose and message would arrive for their baby sister. After several minutes of Misty promising them that she would delve the details of the rose later, they finally left to do their 'errands' for the day.

And now, Misty sat in her kitchen, alone with her thoughts and wondering if the doorbell would—

_Ding Dong!_

Misty popped her head up, eyes darting immediately towards the front door and then looked to the clock, which displayed that it was noon.

"Right on time," she said to herself, standing to address the doorbell while cracking a small smile.

Finding herself oddly excited, she peeked through the eye hole and frowned when she saw no one standing on the other side. Rearing back and running a hand through her hair, she cautiously opened the door, peeking from left to right when she saw nothing but the bustling streets of Cerulean.

Looking down, Misty's smile returned when she saw a single red rose lying on her doorstep, a tiny note attached to its' stem. She picked it up and took another quick look around the front yard of the gym.

It was pretty vacant, save for the occasional Pidgey and Butterfree that flew overhead.

Shrugging in disappointment, she closed the door and retreated back to her room, her simple lunch of milk and cereal forgotten.

Plopping down onto her bed and folding her legs beneath her, Misty inhaled the scent that was becoming quickly familiar to her and opened the attached note carefully.

This note was a bit longer than the previous two, but Misty smiled nonetheless, reading its' words and allowing them time to absorb.

"I love the way you pushed me and made me push back…" she read, staring at the words on the paper.

This note was different; it was more personal than the last, yet less direct than the first and made Misty wonder about the possibility of it actually being Ash.

Had she pushed him on his journey?

_Yes._

Had he pushed back?

Misty set the rose down and folded her arms, letting the question absorb into her mind so that she could better understand it.

She had always believed that her taunting towards Ash always served as a sort of encouragement towards him, even if he may have thought differently at the time. Her intentions were to never hurt him, but to fire him up before a big match or get him to thinking that he wasn't good enough which, in those cases, he would rise up to the challenge and win.

Though Ash had always been the type of person to take constructive criticism with an open mind, _her_ criticism towards him was different. She would say certain things to him, know the right buttons to press, and mock his training if only to get him to think straight and show her up.

But, deep down, Misty had a feeling that all along Ash knew that she only did it as a form of encouragement and because she never wanted to see him fail.

Misty sighed and took her attention away from the rose and back onto the framed photo that decorated her bed side table. She reached over and picked it up, examining it as she had done a few days before.

"Well, Ash…" she said weakly, "Is this really you, or is it me just wanting it to be you so badly?"

Of course, the photo didn't respond, but Misty smiled brightly nonetheless.

_I love the way you pushed me and made me push back…_

Somehow, she knew the origins of the rose and could only hope that she would not be disappointed in the end.

February 6th…

Misty let out the huge breath she had been holding as she praised Staryu for its efforts and returned it to its pokeball. With few words spoken on the part of the challenger, Misty wished him luck and that he was welcome to a rematch anytime he wanted.

As the young trainer raced out of the gym, Misty collapsed onto one of the nearby bleachers and inhaled deeply. The smell of the chlorinated pool soothed her in a strange way and made her think back to a time where she and Ash were once battling for her gym's badge.

But that was then and this was now.

The two of them had grown tremendously over the years since that fateful battle. And although Misty was not always by his side during those years in their youth, she never truly left him. Even as he travelled with his newer companions, May and Dawn, he never left her thoughts, dreams, and heart and she vowed he never would.

But it was times like these, when she sat alone in her gym with only her thoughts to accompany her, that she missed Ash's presence the most. She missed having a reason to follow him, she missed screaming at him for his poor sense of direction, and she missed the countless adventures the three of them had shared throughout their journeys through Kanto and Johto.

Being at home in Cerulean just wasn't the same as seeing the world with her two best friends. But she supposed that being a gym leader was exciting as well, she just hoped she could get out of it every once in awhile, if only to experience some freedom.

But Misty knew, above all else, that she had obligations that needed to be carried out and she would not jeopardize the wellness or reputation of her family's gym for anything.

Looking over towards the wall clock, Misty allowed a small smile to creep to the corners of her lips, for she realized that it was exactly twelve noon.

"Oh, Misty!" called Daisy in a sing song-y type of voice as she pranced into the pool area, an extra bounce to her step.

Misty's smile grew wider as she heard her sister call her name. She had told all three of them the day before about the third rose and its message, to which they eagerly responded with excited chatter about the next rose and subsequent message.

Without saying a word, Misty sat up and watched as Daisy approached her, a wide grin plastered on her face and the ever present rose clutched in her tiny hands.

"Another one?" asked Misty with an airy lightness to her voice.

"Another one!" confirmed Daisy, taking a seat near her sister and handing her the rose.

Misty took the rose, taking in its fragrant scent as she always did, and then proceeded to open the message.

Daisy peered over her shoulder, eager to see what this one had said and impatiently awaiting the day when she would finally prove to her sister how much Ash truly cared about her.

"I love how you react to one of your silly fears, if only because you would come to me for comfort or for someone to vent to…" and Misty ended her reading with a laugh, her sister joining her in her antics.

"Well, that's, like, different," commented Daisy, "I'm assuming he's referring to your fear of, like, bugs?"

"Yeah," nodded Misty, unable to tear her eyes away from the too true statement written on the piece of paper and ignoring that Daisy seemed to be insinuating that she, somehow, knew it was Ash who had written it.

Daisy smiled mischievously at Misty and nudged her gently, "So, you used to, like, run to him every time a bug came crawling your way? What did you do, jump into his arms or something?"

Misty felt her cheeks heat up and, if she were looking into a mirror, she was sure she would see that her cheeks were flushed.

"No!" she responded, folding her arms, "I-I wouldn't go running…to him at least. I mean, why would I run to Ash…"

Daisy sighed aloud, noticing the forlorn look on her younger sister's face. She placed an arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.

"You don't need to fool me, Mist," soothed Daisy, "I, like, know how you feel about that boy and it's okay to feel the way you do."

"Thanks Doc," sighed Misty sarcastically, "I'm not a child anymore Daisy, I know my feelings towards him without someone having to spell it out. I'm not afraid of my feelings for him," she bit her lip and paused, swallowing the lump in her throat, "What scares me…is that he might not feel the same, you know?"

Daisy nodded in response to this, "Believe it or not, I do know a little bit of what you're going through, but I've never experienced the type of connection that you and Ash share. He's, like, special to you, I know that, but I think you'll feel a lot better if you just tell him how you feel."

"I don't know if I can do that," Misty whispered, eyes downcast.

Daisy smiled warmly, her voice soft and caring, "You might not have to if he's the one who's been sending these roses."

"I don't want to get my hopes up," she admitted softly, "But I…"

Misty felt her throat constrict and her chest tighten at the mere thought of her feelings towards Ash. Her eyes burned with the heavy familiarity of tears and she felt the sting of the salty liquid trickle down her pale face. Though she made no attempts to wipe away her sadness, she bit her lip, if only to show her frustrations.

"I-I'm in love with him and I can't imagine how my life would have turned out had he not shown up," Misty smiled sadly, "And it scares the hell out of me that I don't know how he feels."

Daisy nodded knowingly, truly admiring how much her little sister had grown since the day she had run into the young pokemon trainer. He had changed her, molded her into the person she was today, and Daisy would forever be grateful for that.

Ash had seemingly done what all three of the Cerulean sisters could not. He allowed Misty to be herself, found what truly made her tick, and then gave her the gift of freedom and adventure. He had really done wonders for her.

"You think too much," came Daisy's short, yet soft reply, "You need to remember that, above all else, Ash is a man and men tend to let on more than you think. If he feels the same, he'll let you know when he's ready."

And with those comforting words of wisdom, Daisy offered a warm smile, a small hug, and then retreated back into the kitchen.

Misty's watery eyes followed her sister's thin frame until she vanished beyond the threshold of the next room. Her eyes then dropped to the rose in her right hand and the note in her left. She had to wonder how the mysterious rose giver had known her inner most fears and how he expressed them to her without making her feel weak and insignificant, but instead gentle and special.

Perhaps Daisy was right after all. If Ash felt the same, maybe it was only a matter of time before something actually happened between the two of them.

Ash was spontaneous.

That was just a part of him that Misty had accepted over the years and it made her heart feel lighter just thinking that perhaps _this_ was one of those times.

_I love how you react to one of your silly fears, if only because you would come to me for comfort or for someone to vent to…_

One of her silly fears…

It was something she had told very few people and she hoped _he_ had taken advantage of that.

It was the next day, February 7th to be exact, and Lily found herself traipsing through the gym and towards the front door where the incessant ringing of the doorbell had just finished resounding throughout the residence. A smile vacated her face as she opened the large oak doors and found a red rose with a note attached lying beautifully on her porch.

She picked it up carefully, taking a quick look around their vacant front yard, and then quickly retreated back into the house. Climbing the stairs two at a time, she finally reached her destination, rose in hand and a wide grin on her face. The door was slightly ajar, allowing some of the sunlight from the open window to beam through the cracks in the dark hallway. Lily cautiously and quietly opened the door, popping her head in to see if its' occupant, Misty, was available.

Daisy had informed her the day before about how emotional their younger sister had gotten and, therefore, had warned them all about giving her some privacy to mull things over and possibly organize her thoughts.

With Daisy's warning still fresh in her mind, Lily felt a little guilty about not knocking but soon found it difficult to care, knowing how much Misty would need to see the next rose and message.

Lily gave a gentle smile at the scene before her.

Misty was sitting at her desk, the various messages from days previous, scattered haphazardly and the four roses lovingly placed in a crystal vase atop her nightstand. She had her legs folded beneath her and was hunched over, re-reading one of the four messages she had received in complete silence.

Lily sensed the distress and confusion in Misty's gaze and felt her heart go out to her. Here she was, in love with her childhood friend that was currently hundreds of miles away, and she couldn't do a damn thing about it. And yet these little presents, gifts from an anonymous sender, sent Misty's brain into overdrive, praying it was Ash, yet unable to completely believe it until she saw it with her own eyes.

It really was a confusing and frustrating situation.

Lily opened the door further, lightly tapping her knuckle against it to get Misty's attention.

Almost immediately, Misty jumped, head darting towards the door as she fought to regain her balance after almost stumbling out of her chair. Her eyes finally fell on Lily, who was giving her a warm smile, the type only sisters gave to one another.

Misty let out a breath and returned her smile with a tired one of her own, while waving her inside and piling the messages atop one another.

"Your secret admirer strikes again," joked Lily as she handed Misty the rose and took a seat on her bed, legs folded neatly beneath her.

Misty let out a soft giggle and accepted the rose, smelling it as she always did and taking notice of the thorns that seemed so out of place. With every rose she received, those damned thorns were always in the way, almost serving as a warning that, as pretty as the flower was, it still had its flaws. This being the fifth flower she had received, she had to wonder if they were intentionally being left on. Perhaps it was some kind of clue as to the sender?

Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she opened the ever present message and stared at the rather short message.

"I love your flaws…" she read quietly, almost forcing Lily to ask her to repeat it.

Misty raised a brow, obviously perplexed and intrigued by the short message. This one was so vague, so short, that she had to wonder if there was more. Flipping over the small card and examining its every space, she found nothing, yet smiled happily nonetheless.

She didn't even know why exactly she, all of a sudden, felt giddy and her heart felt like it would melt on the spot. It was the simplest of all the messages so far and held no personal memories, but it still got the desired effect and Misty believed it to be the best note yet.

"How sweet," cooed Lily from behind, peering over Misty's shoulder to better see the note, "He thinks you're, like, perfect just the way you are and cares about you so much that nothing could turn him away from you."

Misty simply stared at Lily, mouth slightly agape and eyes glazed over in deep thought.

One of the shorter notes of the bunch had spelled everything out in four simple words. It explained that the sender's compassion for Misty could not merely be limited to her positives, but also her negatives, aspects that Misty oftentimes wished she could ignore from her life. However, this person seemed to love every bit of her, from her beautiful facial features right down to her overly present critical nature. Not too many people Misty knew, especially her sisters, would put up with her on one of her bad days and say that they actually _enjoyed_ it.

So, what made this guy so special?

"Who is this guy?" Misty asked quietly, almost as if she had forgotten Lily was in the room.

Lily merely smiled and wanted so much to answer that it was her childhood friend, the one whom had travelled with her from the very beginning. But, Lily simply could not find the heart to tell her. Misty was a smart girl, deep down she knew, but, for some reason, could not admit to it. She had been so wrapped up in the mysteriousness of the whole ordeal that it had seemed that she was ignoring her own heart.

It was a feat Misty rarely did.

And though Lily realized Misty did not do it on purpose, she oftentimes thought too much into situations. Why did everything need an explanation? Why couldn't Misty just accept the fact that she was receiving flowers, potentially, from the boy she had fished out of that river so many years ago? Why couldn't she just accept the fact that she was falling harder and faster than she had originally anticipated?

Maybe she's scared, thought Lily to herself, but shook her head upon closing her thought.

Misty must have been one of the strongest people she had ever met. It seemed that everything she did was thrown to the winds of uncertainty. She had been through countless dangers during her adventures with Ash and Brock, had risked her own life once to save Ash's so that he could save the world, and had encountered plentiful legendary pokemon that could very well have killed her on the spot. So, why did she suddenly fear now with something that seemed so certain?

Her sister was a strange one, Lily had to admit, but she was also strong willed and harbored a good heart. Whatever the outcome, Lily knew everything would work out in the end. It had to, right?

"I want to believe that it's him so badly," Misty sighed, feeling some of the happiness leaving her body while tearing her gaze away from the paper as she laid them to rest on her sister.

"Then believe it," she answered simply, "You can, like, believe, anything you want Mist. No one should tell you otherwise."

"But, what if I'm wrong? Then what?"

She had asked the question with such desperation, a trait that was so unlike Misty, that Lily was almost unsure of how to respond.

She pondered the thought a moment, twirling a strand of pink hair absentmindedly, before sighing and resting a hand on Misty's shoulder.

"If it's not Ash…then it's not Ash, but just realize that, regardless, you mean something to someone out there," Lily explained as gently as she could.

"But I want it to be him so badly," she argued.

"Because you're, like, in love with him," added Lily, "And you can't change the way you feel, Misty. You of all people should know that."

Misty nodded her head silently, the lost gaze of her glassy blue eyes dropping to the floor, seemingly in defeat.

Lily felt a swell of guilt rise up in her chest and decided to level with her sister, if only so she wouldn't go and stress herself out further.

"But it's fun, isn't it?" she said suddenly, standing up to lean against Misty's desk and face her. Seeing the look of confusion on her sister's face, Lily elaborated, "Being in love, I mean. It's, like, one huge adventure and you never know what's going to happen next!"

Misty let a small giggle escape her lips at Lily's attempts to cheer her up. She wasn't stupid; Misty knew Lily was genuinely trying to make her feel better so as to lighten her apprehension in the coming of days. And, to Misty's surprise, it kind of worked.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she replied good-naturedly and Lily's look of relief only added to the fact that yes, she was doing her best to change Misty's mood, but she didn't mind. Misty was grateful that her sister cared enough to talk to her about something that oftentimes seemed so alien to her.

And with that, she engulfed Lily in a sisterly hug that Lily returned with just as much caring. Though Misty was not particularly closer to one sister over the others, she shared an inexplicable bond with them that she simply could not understand. The three of them seemed so alike at times, and yet, could be worlds apart other times. It was a strange, but comforting thought all the same.

Her flaws were what made her stand out from her sisters, she realized with a smile, remembering that short statement that had been written on her latest message.

_I love your flaws…_

It just did not get any simpler than that.

The next day was Sunday, February 8th. Valentine's Day was now less than a week away and the stores were packed to capacity with shoppers trying to take advantage of the last weekend before the crazy holiday. As the dreaded day was fast approaching, Daisy and Lily decided it was a good idea to get their significant others gifts and, therefore, left Violet and Misty to fend for themselves.

Misty was bounding down the stairs, an extra bounce to her step, and hummed an unfamiliar tune as she plopped down onto the plush sofa in the living room.

She had spent much of last night thinking about what both Daisy and Lily had told her over the past few days regarding the letters and roses and felt relieved, to say the least. Her worries had been abated for now as their gentle words meandered through her head like a comforting lullaby.

"_You need to remember that, above all else, Ash is a man and men tend to let on more than you think. If he feels the same, he'll let you know when he's ready."_

"_If it's not Ash…then it's not Ash, but just realize that, regardless, you mean something to someone out there."_

Misty couldn't help but smile at her sister's words and stretched out casually, a content sigh escaping her lips.

It had taken Misty a lot of thinking and admittance the night before to actually realize that yes, perhaps Lily and Daisy were right. Maybe the time would come when she would eventually admit to Ash her true feelings for him. And she couldn't exactly overlook that fifty percent chance that he could possibly feel the same.

Then there was the latter. Even if it wasn't Ash, someone _did_ care enough about her to send her flowers and sweet notes and she couldn't exactly find the heart to be upset at that little fact. Besides, this was actually shaping into one of the most interesting and fun Valentine's Day that she's ever had, forget the fact that the day wasn't even here yet!

So, with a smile and a new outlook on the day that she had once felt unsure of, she turned her eyes upward and caught the hands of the nearby wall clock.

12 o'clock, noon, it read.

_Ding Dong!_

Misty's smile widened as she hopped off of the sofa and rushed to the door. As she turned the corner however, she was almost knocked off of her feet as Violet came careening down the hallway as if being shot out of a cannon.

"What are you doing?" asked Misty, after recovering from her collision with her sister.

"Um…well, like, I was…" she trailed off sheepishly, "I…wanted to see if it was your secret admirer…" she finished quickly and a bit embarrassed.

Misty giggled at her sister and just shook her head, "Well, I guess that makes two of us."

Violet smiled and then, together, the pair averted their attention to the front door. Hesitantly, yet excitement still fresh in the air, they opened it together to find yet another freshly cut red rose, thorns attached, with the little note that had Misty's name in perfect handwriting.

Misty picked it up gently and looked around the yard. Seeing no one of importance milling about, she sighed and glanced at the flower again.

It was identical to the others, as was the note, and smelled just as fragrant.

"Hurry and open it!" announced Violet excitedly.

"Here?" asked Misty, looking around the yard.

"Why not? Who cares! It's not like anyone but me is watching anyway!" elaborated Violet, unable to contain her excitement for much longer, "Come on Mist, you're killing me here!"

Misty laughed and gave in, opening the small white envelope and reading its contents aloud, "I love the day we were reunited, though I hate the fact that fate separated us…"

"Well, that's different," commented Violet quietly, watching Misty's reaction to the letter.

"But special," added Misty, equally as quiet though the smile on her face was hard to miss.

After several bouts of silence and Misty still staring at the mysterious words, Violet spoke up, "You think it's him?"

And Misty didn't even have to wonder who 'him' was before responding as honestly as she had felt in the past few days.

"I honestly don't know, but I don't care," Misty smiled, turning to Violet and facing her very confused look, "Someone _cares_ about me, Violet. He cares so much that he's been sending me these flowers and little notes so that I didn't feel alone."

Violet beamed at Misty, happy in the fact that she was happy and no longer stressing the fact that these little gifts may not be from Ash at all. Still, she had to wonder and keep an open mind as to the possibilities of it being him, what with all the personal notes and things about her past written in them. Misty though, for the most part, was trying not to dwell on it too much for fear of being let down in the end and Violet felt a swell of pride fill her heart.

"I'm, like, very proud of you little sis," started Violet, placing an arm around Misty's shoulders, "I know it can't be easy with all the unknowns, but at least you're realizing that this isn't exactly a bad thing."

"Yeah, I know," nodded Misty, leaning into her sister's hug, "I'm trying to be positive about this whole thing. I mean, I _am_ getting flowers and notes and I don't even have a boyfriend!"

The two shared a laugh before re-entering the gym, their arms around each other in sisterly affection.

Misty held the note and rose close to her heart and sighed contentedly, letting her happiness fill her mind and body. She had never felt so loved before and it made her realize that, regardless of who was sending the gifts, she was cared about, an idea that Lily had tried desperately the day before to impress upon her.

"I was with someone at one point, and he was torn to see me go," said Misty lightly, trying to explain the contents of the message, "But loved the fact that we were reunited again. That could be just about anyone that I've met more than once."

"Yeah, but like you said, who cares!" laughed Violet good-naturedly, "_However_," she added, a mischievous grin forming on her lips, "If I'm not mistaken, I seem to remember you leaving a certain _someone_ back in Johto a few years back, then, by coincidence of course, you just so happened to be reunited."

"Yeah, I think I remember something like that too," Misty said innocently, her hands behind her back, "Maybe he's thanking me for returning to his waiting arms too?"

"Yeah, like, definitely!" laughed Violet, playing along with her sister's fantasy, though how unrealistic the whole scenario actually might be was still undetermined.

As Misty shared another laugh with Violet, she looked lovingly at the rose in her hands and wondered how fortunate she was to have someone that was thinking about her in a possible 'more than friends' type of way.

Filled with a happiness she had yet to feel in a long time, she lightly kissed the petals of the rose and smiled giddily.

_I love the day we were reunited, though I hate the fact that fate separated us…_

Soon, Misty would find out how badly she had been missed by her secret admirer and how close she could have been to losing him.

It was now February 13th, with the dreaded Valentine's Day looming the day after. Four more roses and four more notes had been sent to Misty since then, all of them arriving at around noon time and all them containing a special little note. Each note contained a message she kept close to her heart and, while they continually pulled at her heartstrings, she kept an open mind and open heart as to the multiple possibilities.

Misty also noted that each rose had those ever present thorns still attached. By this time, she knew it was no coincidence; how could it be? Somehow, she was supposed to _know_ what these thorns symbolized and how they were important to the sender as well as to her.

And then there were the notes, of course. Each one special in their own little way, yet they spoke volumes about how much this person actually knew her.

_I love the way you would yell at me…_

_I love how you made me a better person and trainer…_

_I love how you kept my ego in check..._

_I love how you would challenge me, not only in battle, but in life…_

The majority of these notes had been comprised of words that seemed to focus more on Misty's treatment towards the mysterious flower giver than anything else. And despite how badly the letters seemed to depict her treating him, he loved her all the same.

She had to wonder who would put up with that for so long and still possibly have feelings for her.

However much she wanted to ponder that thought, she couldn't as she heard the familiar sounds of the door bell ringing throughout the gym.

Hopping off of her bed, she raced to the door and ended up colliding with all three of her sisters. Misty looked at each of them as they did the same, giving off a sheepish laugh while dusting themselves off. Answering the door, Misty only supposed they were just as excited as she was.

Opening the door wide so the three could see, Misty found exactly what she was looking for and bent over to pick up the rose and message, almost as if it were second nature by now. She took a quick glance at the front yard and, as always, saw no one of importance, not even the delivery man whom she had assumed was delivering them.

Misty heard her sisters squeal in delight at the rose and message and wordlessly began to open the envelope.

She quickly scanned it and gasped at its contents. Unlike the previous messages, this one gave off a different vibe. It was way more personal than the others and made her heart leap up into her throat, making her unable to read aloud the tiny message.

Confused, Daisy, Lily, and Violet peered over Misty's shoulders and quietly read the note she held in her trembling hands.

"I love how you pretended to follow me for a stupid reason…" Violet read, almost in a whisper, "Wow…"

"It really _is_ him," whispered Lily, staring at the blank expression on Misty's face.

"Yeah…like, everything seems to fit, doesn't it?" commented Daisy, equally as quiet so as to give Misty a time to comprehend the situation.

Several minutes passed by and still no words had been spoken on Misty's part. Daisy, Lily, and Violet were beginning to get worried until Misty turned to the three of them, a gentle smile on her face.

"I guess I'll find out for sure tomorrow, won't I?" she said gently, and, without another word, she headed to her room, rose and note clutched firmly in hand.

Upon reaching her sanctuary, Misty heavily plopped onto her bed and held the rose and note closer to her. She chanced a glance at the vase full of roses and the tabletop full of notes and sighed.

It really had been one interesting week, to say the least and she would be lying if she said she wasn't anxious to find out who her mystery man was, though she had an idea or two.

Misty clutched the necklace around her neck and let her thoughts wander to that of the last ten days. It was amazing how a simple gift could change her whole perspective on Valentine's Day and make her believe that true love _could_ be found on the so called 'made-up holiday.'

The past week had been an emotional one, bringing out feelings of longing she never knew to possess, but through it all, she learned that there were people that cared about her and possibly loved her too.

Now, all that was left for her was to be patient and willing to accept whatever came her way.

And she gently cursed herself for her lack of patience.

February 14th…

Misty was sitting in the kitchen, joined by her sisters, a mug of steaming coffee in her hands. The room was silent, save for the incessant ticking of the nearby clock. It read 11:59 as all eyes stared at its face, willing it to go faster.

Misty had made it. Through all her waiting and forced patience, she had finally made it to Valentine's Day, the day that she would finally uncover the truth behind the mysterious flowers and notes she had received all week.

She sat anxiously, her sisters opposite her, and fingered her mug nervously.

What would she find once the last flower came? Or rather, _who_ would she find?

And, as if on cue, the clock ticked to indicate a change in time and the doorbell sounded almost in sync with the ticking.

Misty almost jumped out of her seat from surprise and looked to her sisters in nervous anticipation.

"I guess this is it," she muttered, leaving her seat and tending to the door.

Lily, Daisy, and Violet trailed behind, hiding themselves behind the curtains and peering over one another to see if they could track Misty's secret admirer.

Taking a deep breath, Misty closed her eyes, let her nerves calm, and slowly opened the door.

There, on her doorstep, was a single rose.

However, unlike the crimson red of the previous roses, this one was of the most beautiful crystal blue. It laid on her porch, thorns attached, and note gently hanging from the stem.

Misty looked around and, seeing no one present, felt a swell of disappointment fill her.

Brushing it off for the time being, she shook her head and picked up the rose, examining its unusual color and taking note of how different it looked compared to the others she had received.

"Wow…it's beautiful," she breathed, speaking to herself while taking the note in her hand.

Misty simply stared at the note, scared of what she could possibly find within. What would the message say? Would it reveal who the sender was or would she forever be lost to this wild goose chase?

Deciding that she was getting nowhere with this, she swallowed the lump in her throat and threw it open.

She gasped at its perfectly handwritten words and brought a hand to her mouth in shock, unable to speak for fear that she would wake from this dream. She felt her heartbeat escalate and felt the sting of tears coming to the corners of her cerulean blue eyes. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't form the words on the paper.

The words were simple, probably the simplest of all the notes, and yet she couldn't find the words to utter them. It was a concept that she had never fully understood and never believed anyone to feel towards her.

And, as she continued to stare at the message, a rustling from around the corner caught her attention and caused her to look up.

There, standing before her, a small smile on his face was her best friend and crush Ash Ketchum.

He stood to face her, hands in his pockets as he stared into her eyes intently, not a word passing between the two.

Finally, he shifted his weight slightly and motioned towards the rose that was still clutched in Misty's hands.

"That rose is unique and indigenous only to the Sinnoh region," he explained, hoping it would alleviate the tension. Misty only nodded dumbly, still too shocked to respond, "It's supposed to be really rare and so, I thought--"

And Ash was cut off as Misty flung her arms around his neck, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

Ash, surprised at her sudden movements, stiffened for a bit before finally wrapping his arms around her tiny frame and taking in her airy scent.

"W-Why would do this for me?" Misty stuttered, pulling away slightly so that she could see his face.

"I thought the note would've said it all," he smiled, and whispered in her ear, "I know how much you dislike this holiday, so I wanted to do something special for you to show you how much you mean to me. And…I guess show you how I really feel."

"How you really feel?" she asked timidly, almost as if to reassure herself of what he was actually saying.

He nodded and then sighed, holding her by the shoulders and looking at her intently, "Misty, listen. I-We've known each other a long time and, you've always been there for me through everything. I would have never gotten where I am today if it weren't for your encouragement and support," he paused a moment to collect his thoughts and watched as she gently smiled at him, waiting for him to continue, "I always believed that we had this sort of connection and, at first, I wasn't sure what to think. But, over time, I started to slowly examine my feelings for you and I realized something."

Misty looked up at him, hope etched on her face.

Perhaps there was still hope for her yet, she thought with a smile.

"What did you realize?" she whispered, almost inaudible.

Misty watched as Ash gave her a timid smile and tilted his head closer to hers, their lips only centimeters apart. Her heart was beating so fast she swore he would hear it and, in those few seconds, she found herself reaching up to gently caress his face. He trembled slightly under her touch, but soon after, leaned into it, and turned his lips to the palm of her hand, kissing it gently.

With Misty's hand still over his cheek, Ash leaned closer and softly planted his lips over hers. His lips were unbelievably soft and his kisses gentle and sweet. And, while she brought her fingers up to intertwine with his hair, she realized just how much she had missed his presence. Everything about him made her shiver in delight and, as she struggled to pull him in closer, she felt him cup her chin in his hands, deepening the sensation.

However, to Misty's surprise, Ash abruptly pulled away, breathing heavily and caressing her cheek, his warm eyes scanning her soft features.

"Hold up, Mist, I need—I mean, this is…I'm sorry if I…" and Ash trailed off for lack of something better to say, which was a trait so unlike him.

Misty, slightly out of breath herself, smiled up at him as if to reassure him that this was not just a one way thing. She had kissed him back, not out of obligation, but out of love. And she knew that now, he was probably stressing that fact.

So, instead of explaining in mere words, she did the only thing she could think of.

Misty reached up and kissed him again, both to his surprise and pleasure.

Their second kiss was shorter, though did not lack the passion of the first one. It still flustered the both of them and left the other speechless as Misty gently pulled away to view his reaction.

"This is not a one-way thing, Ash," she whispered, her arms now resting around his waist, "Whatever you're feeling…I've felt it since the beginning."

Ash tilted his head to the side and raised an eye, "Really?"

"Really," she confirmed, engulfing him in a hug.

"Wow…" he breathed, holding her close to him, "Amazing what a few roses can do to a girl, huh?"

Misty laughed and playfully swatted his head, "It wasn't the roses, though I must admit, it was a good gesture."

"The notes?"

"Nope."

"No? Well, how about those lovely thorns I left on for you?" he asked, the smallest of smirks forming on his face.

Misty cocked her head to the side and glanced at the blue rose that was still in her hand, "Yeah, I was wondering about that. Were those intentional?"

Ash laughed and directed his attention to the rose also, "Of course they were. I thought, if anything, your sisters would've noticed their little _imperfections_."

"I guess you've got a point there," she smiled, but there was still a nagging in her mind as to _why_ the thorns were not removed, "But you still haven't answered my question."

"Hmm? Oh, you want to know why the thorns weren't taken off? Well, it's simple really," he shrugged, pulling her closer to him, "I figured this rose is like you. The color is unique and stands out from the rest of the red roses I sent you, and that's just how I see you. As for the thorns, it's just a short reminder that, although roses are beautiful, they aren't without their flaws."

Misty giggled lightly at his explanation and felt everything fall into place. She hadn't realized how much time and effort he had gone through to make her Valentine's special. He had really thought through every detail, and made sure that she had gotten the message loud and clear.

"So, I guess what I'm saying is…" he started, watching her amused reaction, "Though you're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on, you have these little thorns that make you who you are. I mean, a rose isn't a rose without its thorns and you aren't you without that temper of yours," he finished with a laugh.

Misty gave him a warm smile and, without a word, gently leaned into his embrace, resting her head against his chest.

She had never felt so loved before and now that the big surprise was over, she was immensely relieved to know that Ash had been behind it all from the start. Every note, rose, and gesture had pointed to him; even her sisters had gone into believing it was really him when she was so torn about it. But, never before had she felt the type of sincere love that she was now experiencing with Ash and it was then that Misty realized how truly special he was to her.

No, it didn't take a dozen roses to realize that and no, it didn't take little love notes to justify it either. Misty just needed a push in the right direction to appreciate the fact that Ash loved her just as much, if not more, than she loved him.

However, there was still one thing she needed to hear to make it complete.

"Ash…" and when she looked up to face him, he wore an expression of complete longing for her, an expression that she had never known him to possess. His deep brown eyes sparkled with life and a love for her that he had been harboring for far too long. Her only regret was not knowing sooner.

"What is it?"

Misty gave him a tender smile, completely confident that the man in front of her was perfect. He had given her more than she had hoped and she wished, as selfish as it sounded, she could hold him forever.

"I love you," she whispered gently though clearly enough for him to hear.

His response to this was nothing short of what she had been expecting. He gazed intently into her eyes, almost as if seeing through to her soul, and murmured back the words she had longed to hear from him, "I love you too, Mist. Happy Valentine's Day."

Misty buried her face in his shirt and felt the sting of fresh tears invade her eyes at his sincerity.

"Thank you Ash…thank you," she whispered, listening to the calming beat of his heart while trying to hold back her tears of joy.

"God, finally!"

At the sound of the voice, Ash and Misty both turned and saw none other than Brock, Dawn, and Pikachu standing off to the side, looking very pleased with themselves.

"Brock, what the hell! I thought I told you guys to wait for me back at the center!" exclaimed Ash, an exasperated look on his face.

"And miss this reunion? I don't think so bro," smirked Brock, as he waved casually to Misty, "Hey Mist!"

Unable to hold in her laughter, Misty covered her mouth and exploded in a fit of giggles, "H-Hey Brock, Dawn, Pikachu."

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu squealed jumping from Brock's shoulder and into Misty's awaiting arms.

"Hey there pal," she greeted, nuzzling her cheek in its soft fur.

"So, congratulations you two. About time, huh?" commented Dawn, gazing back at Misty and Ash intently.

"I guess," muttered Ash, shoving his hands into his pockets, probably very much embarrassed by this point, "I just wished we didn't have an audience."

"Shows, like, how much you know about this family."

And it was then that Daisy, Lily, and Violet revealed themselves to the group, satisfied smiles on their lips.

"Didn't we, like, tell you it was him, Misty?" said Lily knowingly.

"Yeah, you, like, never listen to us!" pouted Violet playfully, though, through it all, she wore a genuine smile.

"You two should know by now that there are no, like, private places in this city," explained Daisy, a small smirk playing on her lips.

Misty sighed and leaned her head back, but later laughed at the three, for if it hadn't been for their combined efforts, she would have never made it through the week.

"Wonderful…" muttered Ash, though he wore an amused grin.

"You can say that again…" drooled Brock, all common sense flying out the window and, in its place, his girl mode senses.

Misty rolled her eyes at this but, at the moment, found it hard to care whether Brock flirted with her sisters or not. The only person she cared about was currently wrapping his arms around her and giving her a gentle hug. She didn't care that her sisters and friends were watching, nor did she care that they were outside, in plain view of any passerby. All Misty could find the energy to care about was the fact that Ash loved her and had made this the best Valentine's she had ever had in her life.

And, it was then that Misty glanced down at the note that was still clutched in her hands.

The notes had started as simple and sincere, yet grew to be more meaningful and personal than she could have ever imagined possible.

And, as she opened the note to gaze at its contents, Misty was amazed at how three simple words could change her whole world and make her truly believe.

_I love you…_

A/N: Well, there you have it! Though it was a day late, I still hope you all enjoyed it and take the time to review. It would mean the world to me to let me know what you all thought of it! Well, I hope you all had an awesome V-Day and take care til next time!


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